A Great German Chocolate Cake

I’d never made a German Chocolate Cake before, so when my sister requested one in response to my offer to bake her birthday cake, I hit my cookbooks and the Internet in the name of research. Admittedly, it had never been a favorite. Not that I don?t like it, I just prefer a darker chocolate cake. I found the original Baker’s Chocolate recipe, which looked doable, but
not that inspiring. Then I found a more interesting recipe on David Lebovitz’s website. Lebovitz, an alum of Chez Panisse and author of several cookbooks, lives in Paris. (After perusing his site, I’ll be returning to investigate his recommendations for my next trip!) Anyway, this cake turned out beautifully in an easy-to-follow recipe. (He credits the recipe to his friend
Mary Jo Thoresen of Jojo in Oakland, with slight variation.) What makes this cake better than the traditional is the addition of unsweetened chocolate, making for a deeper, darker flavor. The filling is custardy and the toasted coconut and pecans give it depth. Plus, there’s also a bittersweet chocolate icing. I followed the cake recipe with a few changes: I omitted the rum syrup step and iced the sides and top with the chocolate icing. The results were delicious, a hit with the family. We’ll be making this cake again. Find the recipe here http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2005/09/german_chocolat_1.html

-alyce eyster